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*DON'T BE SAD*
Episode 224
*THE REALITY OF THIS LIFE*
One will be happy to the degree that one remembers ALLĀH and recites His Book. And after considering this principle, one may estimate his worth in this world and in the Hereafter.
Surah Az-Zukhruf, Verse 33:
وَلَوْلَا أَن يَكُونَ النَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً لَّجَعَلْنَا لِمَن يَكْفُرُ بِالرَّحْمَٰنِ لِبُيُوتِهِمْ سُقُفًا مِّن فِضَّةٍ وَمَعَارِجَ عَلَيْهَا يَظْهَرُونَ
And were it not that all mankind would have become of one community (all disbelievers, desiring worldly life only), We would have provided for those who disbelieve in the Most Beneficent (Allah), silver roofs for their houses, and elevators (and stair-ways, etc. of silver) whereby they ascend,
Surah Az-Zukhruf, Verse 34:
وَلِبُيُوتِهِمْ أَبْوَابًا وَسُرُرًا عَلَيْهَا يَتَّكِئُونَ
And for their houses, doors (of silver), and thrones (of silver) on which they could recline,
Surah Az-Zukhruf, Verse 35:
وَزُخْرُفًا وَإِن كُلُّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمَّا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةُ عِندَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
And adornments of gold. Yet all this (i.e. the roofs, doors, stairs, elevators, thrones etc. of their houses) would have been nothing but an enjoyment of this world. And the Hereafter with your Lord is only for the Muttaqun.
These verses proclaim in clear terms the temporary, therefore insignificant, worth of material possessions and social status.
We should realise that this life is not the yardstick of success when we see that the disbeliever often lives a life of opulence while the believer is often precluded from many worldly pleasures, a phenomenon that merely indicate the paltry value of this world.
While giving a sermon on a Friday, 'Utba Ibn Ghazwān (may ALLĀH be pleased with him), a well-known Companion of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of ALLĀH be upon him), was reminiscing out loud about what the days were like when he lived with the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of ALLĀH be upon him). 'Utba would fight with him in the way of ALLĀH, and to avoid starvation, he would eat with him in the leaves of a tree. Yet he remembered those days to be the happiest of his life. Then he realised how he departed from the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of ALLĀH be upon him), becoming a governor of a province. And despite this rise in worldly status, he felt wonder at how much lower the true quality of life became after the death of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of ALLĀH be upon him).
After the death of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of ALLĀH be upon him), Sa'ad Ibn Waqqaas (may ALLĀH be pleased with him) felt bewildered and confused when he became governor of Kufah. During the Prophet's lifetime, he too would eat tree or the skin of a carcass. He could not bear the castles of his new life after having tasted the pleasure of his old one in the company of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of ALLĀH be upon him).
Surah Ad-Dhuha, Verse 4:
وَلَلْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لَّكَ مِنَ الْأُولَىٰ
And indeed the Hereafter is better for you than the present (life of this world).
Therefore there is a secret to guide you in this life --- and that is to know the triviality of this world.
Surah Al-Mumenoon, Verse 55:
أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُم بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ
Do they think that We enlarge them in wealth and children,
Surah Al-Mumenoon, Verse 56:
نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ بَل لَّا يَشْعُرُونَ
We hasten unto them with good things (in this worldly life so that they will have no share of good things in the Hereafter)? Nay, but they perceive not.
When he entered the house of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace of ALLĀH be upon him), 'Umar (may ALLĀH be pleased with him) saw marks on the Prophet's side, which resulted from always lying down on straw, and he also noticed the bareness of the room. His eyes swelled with tears after seeing such a moving sight. The Messenger of ALLĀH (Blessings and Peace of ALLĀH be upon him), the example and leader of all, in such a situation! It was too much for him.
Surah Al-Furqan, Verse 7:
وَقَالُوا مَالِ هَٰذَا الرَّسُولِ يَأْكُلُ الطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشِي فِي الْأَسْوَاقِ لَوْلَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ فَيَكُونَ مَعَهُ نَذِيرًا
And they say: "Why does this Messenger (Muhammad SAW) eat food, and walk about in the markets (like ourselves). Why is not an angel sent down to him to be a warner with him?
He said, 'You know, O' Messenger of ALLĀH, of the lifestyle of Khosrau and Caesar!' The Prophet (Blessings and Peace of ALLĀH be upon him) replied:
"O' son of Khattab, are you in doubt. Are you not pleased that for us is the Hereafter and for them is this world."
It is a just balance and a fair distribution. So let them find their happiness in dollars, gold, silver, mansions, and cars if they can. Verily, by ALLĀH, they will never find it in those things.
Surah Hud, Verse 15:
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فِيهَا وَهُمْ فِيهَا لَا يُبْخَسُونَ
Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter; to them We shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein.
Surah Hud, Verse 16:
أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا النَّارُ وَحَبِطَ مَا صَنَعُوا فِيهَا وَبَاطِلٌ مَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but Fire; and vain are the deeds they did therein. And of no effect is that which they used to do.
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*DON'T BE SAD*
Episode 225
*THE KEY TO HAPPINESS*
If you know ALLĀH and worship HIM, you will have found happiness and peace, even if you are living in a hut made of mud.
But if you deviate from the true path, your life will truly be wretched, even if you are living a life of luxury and comfort in a large mansion. If this latter case applies to you, then you do not have with you the key to happiness.
Surah Al-Qasas, Verse 76:
إِنَّ قَارُونَ كَانَ مِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰ فَبَغَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْكُنُوزِ مَا إِنَّ مَفَاتِحَهُ لَتَنُوءُ بِالْعُصْبَةِ أُولِي الْقُوَّةِ إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ قَوْمُهُ لَا تَفْرَحْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَرِحِينَ
Verily, Qarun (Korah) was of Musa's (Moses) people, but he behaved arrogantly towards them. And We gave him of the treasures, that of which the keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men. When his people said to him: "Do not be glad (with ungratefulness to Allah's Favours). Verily! Allah likes not those who are glad (with ungratefulness to Allah's Favours).
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*DON'T BE SAD*
Episode 226
*THE KEY TO HAPPINESS: PAUSE TO REFLECT*
Surah Al-Hajj, Verse 38:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ خَوَّانٍ كَفُورٍ
Truly, Allah defends those who believe. Verily! Allah likes not any treacherous ingrate to Allah [those who disobey Allah but obey Shaitan (Satan)].
In other words, He protects them from evil, both in this world and in the Hereafter. In this verse, ALLĀH enlightens us, warns us, and gives us glad tidings. He repels evil from the believers in proportion to their faith. The evil of the disbelievers, the evil whispers of the Devil, the evil in their own selves, and the evil of their deeds --- all of these does ALLĀH ward off from the true believers. When calamity falls, its burden will be lightened from them. Every believer has a share in this divine protection. Yet it varies according to one's level of faith: some will receive less, others more.
Among the fruits of faith is that it gives solace to the believer in times of hardship.
Surah At-Taghabun, Verse 11:
مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَمَن يُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
No calamity befalls, but with the Leave [i.e. decision and Qadar (Divine Preordainments)] of Allah, and whosoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart [to the true Faith with certainty, i.e. what has befallen him was already written for him by Allah from the Qadar (Divine Preordainments)], and Allah is the All-Knower of everything.
This refers to the believer who is afflicted with hardship, who knows that it is from ALLĀH and that it was written for him. He is satisfied and submits his will to what has been predestined for him. Thus, the fatal blow of hardship will lose its effect on him because he knows that it came from ALLĀH and that he will be rewarded for his patience.
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